Dead Winter
by LadySerenade
Summary: The City of Winterfell has fallen, living dead creatures howling in the night. The Stark family lay dead and divided, left with so many questions. Could they live through the winter? How were they going to survive the horde? Who could they trust? Arya and Sansa head out into the city to fight, but how long can they truly last? Zombie Apocalypse/ Modern Day AU [Many Characters]
1. Intro

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything about the spectacular world of Game of Thrones, I just write fanfiction about it. **

**Author's Note: Why hello you beautiful person that clicked on my story! I welcome you and am glad you came, sit and have some tea! First off I will start by saying this is a modern day/ zombie apocalypse AU universe. Much of it will be centering around the surviving Stark children, and the setting is the City of Winterfell. The kids are a little older than in the books or show, Jon being the oldest at 21, Sansa 18, and Arya 15. There will be plenty of characters I am throwing in here, but not everyone is going to make it into the story! The main characters will be here, not all but most. There will be bad language, violence, and sexual content so be giddy for all that. I love love love to be an interactive writer, so don't be afraid to pm me theories or feedback that can potentially help build this story! I like to give my audience what they want while still staying true to my vision! I think that is all you need to know for now, so enjoy the story! This is just a small intro, and depending on reception of it and such, will be expanded to much longer chapters! If it flops it flops, but I really hope you guys will enjoy this! I thought it would be something fresh and different! Please review and let me know what you think! Much love guys! **

* * *

**Introduction**

_**The City of Winterfell**_

_**December 16, 2013, 7:05 pm**_

"Jon!" Arya screamed from the balcony. She could see Sansa's bright hair and Jon's dark hair below her in the swarming bodies. There was the distinct popping sound of a gun, and screaming in the distance from the neighboring houses. Jon looked up finally and saw her, she had been terrified she would be left behind. She could hear the pounding at her door as the creatures tried to claw their way in.

"Arya you have to jump!" Jon shouted while Sansa grabbed a plank of wood that had fallen off the house and swung it around her wildly, keeping the beasts back.

Arya disappeared back into her room for a second. She already had her boots on, and a thick pair of jeans that had a rip in one knee from where she had fallen up the stairs. She had a black t-shirt on that had a red wolf howling, her father had bought it for her birthday a few years back and she wore it to the point that the material was thin by now. She grabbed a striped oversized hoodie from the closet, her black jacket, a baseball cap and her bat. She ran back to the window and threw the bat down first, which Jon caught with ease. It was only a two story house, and even though it was rather large, she didn't think the jump would kill her.

"Arya hurry!" Sansa screamed, she was dressed in a bathrobe and pajamas, slippered feet stomping in the snow. Jon was still in his police uniform. He had come straight from the station when the outbreak happened. It had all been so fast...

"Catch me," Arya said, and before she could think better of it leapt from the window. The drop was quick, sending her gut up into her throat. She came crashing into Jon, who half caught her, but mostly cushioned her fall into the snow. She stood up and dusted herself off.

"We have to get to the station," Jon told his sisters.

"But what about Rickon and B-" Sansa stopped short when she saw the terrible look of sorrow in Jon's eyes. That was it then, they were the last of the Starks. Sansa had watched her father go down, heard her mother's screams of agony, and Robb had died protecting her, getting her out of the house. She stood frozen to the bone with misery until Arya slammed into her.

"Sansa move!" She shouted, making a break for the front gates. Jon had to grab Sansa by the arm and drag her, using his strong hand to pop off shots into the writhing cloud of living dead. When they reached the gates, it was clear it wouldn't be an option to get out, it was clogged with corpses, some who had impaled themselves on the strong iron bars, as the gates hung loosely on their hinges.

"Jon what now?" Arya asked in panic.

"Weak side of the wall," Jon said, by this time Sansa had regained enough ability to run on her own, clutching her bathrobe shut against the strong winds that were kicking up. They started running along the wall, the zombies having been distracted enough with the house and the small fire that had started inside. When they got to the spot of the wall that had some stones missing, making perfect foot and hand holes, Arya wasted no time in climbing it, scrambling up quickly. The street on this side was clear. She sat on the top as Jon boosted Sansa up, and reached a hand to help her sister to the top of the wall.

A feral growling came from behind Jon just as soon as he grabbed hold of the wall, he turned his head slightly, not intending to stop to waste bullets on another one. What he saw though, the deformed and vicious face of his brother, made him stop short.

"Robb," He whispered sadly. He knew it wasn't his brother anymore, whatever that creature was it certainly wasn't Robb Stark, but Jon turned and went to him anyways, slowly.

"Robb!" Sansa screamed when she noticed him.

"Arya, Sansa, go. I'll meet you at Night's Watch Station," Jon said. He turned his head to see that neither of them moved. The police station was only three blocks away, and Arya was smart enough to keep them safe. He looked at her in the eye, till she nodded sadly and grabbed Sansa, easing herself down the other side of the wall and onto the street. They took off running, only when they were halfway down the street did they hear the gun shoot one more time.

* * *

It had been easy enough to sneak into the police station. Arya had been doing it since she was five, either to visit her uncle or Jon. It was totally abandoned on this night though, the police force out in the streets or having deserted all together, making the place feel rather eerie. The lights were still on though, which eased both the girl's minds a bit.

"Let's see if Jon has some extra clothes in his locker for you," Arya stated. Sansa said nothing, just nodded and followed her little sister to the lockers. Arya seemed to know her way around the place with an ease that had to be illegal. She turned the lock to the right combination and popped open her brother's locker, where a blue gym bag lay stuffed in the bottom. Arya yanked it out and set it on the bench. Inside were a couple pairs of black combat pants, a plain white t-shirt, and a green flannel top. She grabbed the two shirts and a pair of the pants and handed them to Sansa.

"Put these on, you look stupid," She said to her sister. Sansa didn't reply, she was too busy looking at the photographs that were taped up in Jon's locker. There was a family portrait from three Christmas's ago, when she had horrible bangs that hung in her eyes, a picture of Robb and Jon from a hunting trip, some vague pictures of his friends, a pretty girl she didn't know, and Rickon's baby picture. Her eyes started to sting, and before she knew it she was collapsed on the ground, sobbing loudly and uncontrollably. Arya sat next to her, putting an arm about her shoulder.

"It'll be okay sissy," Arya said quietly, but she couldn't really promise that, because she couldn't know for certain. Her eyes began to sting too, but if she thought about it now, the destruction of her family, then she would be lost. She wouldn't be able to stay sharp and protect herself and Sansa. Jon trusted her, and she couldn't let him down. The dull ache in her chest was begging for her to weep, to scream and cry and break things. But she couldn't and she didn't, instead she got angry.

"Do you think Jon will make it to us?" Sansa asked in a watery voice.

"Jon is a wicked shot, and smart as hell. He'll make it," Arya affirmed.

"So was Robb," Was Sansa's reply. They said nothing more, just sat holding each other, waiting for something to show them what to do now that their lives had been obliterated.

* * *

**TADA! Please drop me a review and let me know what you think! It's all in your hands now! I am already writing the first chapter, so I really hope you love this! It's a fun story to write and I hope fun to read as well! xoxo LadySerenade**


	2. Enemies or Allies

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything about the spectacular world of Game of Thrones, I just write fanfiction about it. **

**Author's Note: A huge thank you to those of you that reviewed the intro, here is the first chapter! I will be trying to make the chapters nice and long for you! I really hope you guys love this story because I have some awesome plans for it! Remember to give me feedback! [Oh as a side note they call the zombies rovers in this story]**

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**Chapter 1: Enemies or Allies **

"We're going to have to sleep here tonight," Arya said suddenly, breaking the silence. After hours without Jon showing up, the girls slowly starting losing hope that he made it. Arya refused to believe he was actually dead, but if he wasn't then wouldn't he be here by now? She looked over at Sansa, who was wearing Jon's oversized clothes and a pair of boots they nicked from another locker. She felt bad for her sister because she didn't know how to comfort her. They had never gotten along in their entire lives, but they loved each other and were fiercely protective of one another. It was a family trait really.

"They're all dead Arya, what are we going to do?" Sansa asked.

"We're going to have to get out of the city," Arya responded reasonably. It would be hard, Winterfell was a large city, but it was surrounded by miles of country roads past the walls, and forest land beyond that. If they could make it to the woods, they could find their Uncle's cabin that was at the base of the mountains. It would be safer there, where the rovers weren't out in hordes.

"How are we going to get out of the city? Jon won't be here to protect us," Sansa said sadly.

"Shut up! He could still make it," Arya snapped.

"Quit being a child, you know he's dead," Sansa shot back, sending her sister to her feet.

"I said shut up!" Arya screamed. It was about to become a rather colorful sibling battle, when footsteps could be heard down the hall. Arya froze, and Sansa got to her feet, grabbing for the bat that sat on the bench between them. The footsteps were even and quick, meaning it couldn't be a rover.

"Who's there?" Arya called out, making Sansa shush her.

"Stop it!" She hissed.

Out of the shadows walked a tall regal looking woman. She had golden blonde hair, thick and wavy, pulled back in a ponytail. She had on tight black pants and a blood red leather jacket. She was carrying a shotgun. Sansa took a step back, but Arya looked forward defiantly. The woman started to chuckle.

"Jaime! There's a live one down here! Two of em actually," She said in a deep voice.

"Who are you?" Arya challenged. The woman looked taken aback for a second.

"Who are you?" She asked in turn.

"I asked you first."

"I asked you second," The woman said smiling. A few moments later a man came out of the shadows behind her. They looked shockingly similar, and Sansa would have guessed they were twins.

"Who are they?" He asked, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder.

"I have no clue, but the younger one is feisty," She said with a smile.

"My name is Sansa, this is my sister Arya," Sansa supplied, receiving a death glare from her sister.

"Ah perfect, more siblings," The man, Jaime, replied.

"Sansa and Arya, you're the Stark girls," The woman said, the prospect clearly not bringing her joy. She gripped her gun a little tighter.

"Yes we are," Arya said, as unafraid as ever.

"Your big brother put my little brother in prison," The woman said, almost growling.

"It's not our fault your family has criminals," Arya said in a huff.

"Do you even know who we are girl?" Jaime said quickly. Sansa knew it then, they were the Lannister twins. Their father owned half the city, probably more than that. They were rich beyond belief.

"You're Jaime and Cersei Lannister," Sansa supplied. Cersei looked at her with appreciation.

"Yes we are," She said smiling smugly.

"We have no quarrel with you," Sansa said diplomatically.

"You're right, I just have one with your pig of a brother and your prick of a father," Cersei said cruelly.

"Take that back!" Arya shouted, jumping forward at Cersei. The woman held up her shotgun, making the girl stop short. They stood there staring at each other, till Arya wiped an eye and looked away, taking a few steps back.

"What happened to them," Jaime asked quietly as Cersei lowered her gun.

"We're the only surviving Stark's," Arya said, keeping her voice even with effort. Cersei sighed loudly, and stepped towards Arya. The girl flinched, but allowed the woman to put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Jaime and I are the last of the Lannister's. It's a pain you can't describe," She said. Arya looked up at her, sharing a moment of loss.

"Why are you two hiding in here?" Jaime asked.

"We were waiting for our brother, but he never came," Sansa told them.

"We came in here for ammo, if you can get us into the weapons locker, than you can travel with us," Jaime said.

"Where are you heading?" Arya inquired.

"The hell out of Winterfell before the military bombs the city," Cersei answered.

"They're going to bomb the city?" Sansa asked in panic.

"That's what they said on the news cast, but I'm not sure if the military can hack it. From what I've heard Winterfell isn't the only city to fall to the living dead," Jamie said.

"I can get you into the weapons locker," Arya promised.

* * *

Jon was halfway up the wall, almost to freedom, when something grabbed his ankle and forced him to the ground. He hit hard, knocking the wind from his lungs. He had enough sense to kick out at the zombie, and try to crawl away. The snow made his fingers raw with cold, but he dragged himself back a couple of paces, and pulled himself to his feet. He didn't want to know that this was the end. He had used his last bullet to put Robb out of his misery. There were three of the things coming for him, and he knew that he couldn't take them on with his bare hands. The best thing he could hope for was that his adrenaline could propel him over the wall behind him. He turned and ran at it, a spot that had no loose stones or foot holds, and leapt at it. His fingers barely managed to keep a hold of the top. One of his hands slipped desperately, but he was able to use his feet against the stone to push himself up enough to flop over the top of the wall. He hit the street on the other side roughly, sure he had probably cracked a rib in the process.

"Shit," He moaned, trying to get to his feet. The street was crawling in rovers, he had to keep moving. He only had to make it three blocks, but right now it might as well have been 300 miles. The creatures took notice of him, making their slow horrifying shuffle towards him, eyes crazed and mouths frothing in red.

He started jogging slowly up the street, knowing he was going the wrong way, but as long as it wasn't into a group of zombies he supposed no way was truly a wrong way. When his breath came back to him he picked up to a run, then a mad sprint down the street. There was a car crashed into a snow bank, inside lights blinking. If he could get to the car, maybe he could throttle it out of there and still make it to the station. He was a quarter of the way there when his feet went out from underneath him, slipping on black ice. His head hit the pavement hard, making him see stars. His vision began to blur and then everything went black.

* * *

"We can bunk here for the night, this block is still relatively deserted," Jaime said they started locking the doors with chains, and stacking things in from of the windows.

"Like we can even sleep at a time like this," Sansa muttered, dragging a tall filing cabinet towards a back window.

"You better at least try, we set out at first light," Cersei warned her.

"What if Jon comes and he can't get into the station," Arya said. No one said anything in reply, only kept about their tasks. Arya looked down at her boots, angry that she was the only one who was still holding out hope that he had made it. When the doors seemed to be suitably secure, they made their way to the bunks, each selecting one and collapsing onto it in exhaustion.

"Should we take turns with a watch or something?" Arya asked, eyes already closed. Sansa was asleep almost as soon as she lay down, and Jaime and Cersei both had their eyes closed too.

"Yeah we should," Cersei yawned, but the four of them fell into a deep sleep before any progress towards the idea was made.

* * *

Jon woke up shivering. He opened his eyes slowly, and could feel a fearsome pounding in his skull. He looked around without sitting up, and from what he could tell, he was in a small dank room, with water drops leaking from a corner of the ceiling. He turned his head to the side and saw a barrel that had a fire burning inside of it, and there was a red head woman who had her back to him. She must have heard him stir, for she turned and looked at him with a smirk.

"That was hilarious by the way," She said, walking over to where he lay on a mat on the ground. She sat cross legged next to it, and handed him a bottle of water. Jon sat up very slowly, the pain in his head making his stomach roll.

"What was?" He asked after he chugged half of the water.

"You were just running and then BAM! Flat on your face!" She said, cracking up laughing. "You were so lucky I was there!"

"You saved me?" He asked puzzled.

"Yes," She responded simply. Jon said nothing after that, just looked around the room a bit more. It felt like they could be underground but he wasn't sure. The woman noticed his gaze.

"Ain't nothing fancy, but I figured you wouldn't mind since your home just burnt to the ground," She said with a snide look on her face.

"How do you know that?"

"I know a lot about you actually, Jon."

"Who are you?" He asked her, temporarily thrown off guard. She was rather pretty, if a bit rough looking. Her flaming hair pulled back in a disheveled knot, thick fur lined coat, tights, and brown winter boots, all of which had significant wear to them.

"My name is Ygritte," She told him.

"How do you know me?"

"I know all the cops in this town. Have to know who to stay away from," She explained.

"So you're a criminal?"

"Does it really matter?" She asked back. Jon sighed, and realized it would be rude to insult the woman who brought him in off the street. You couldn't pick and choose your heroes when the end of the world came knocking at your door.

"I guess it doesn't," He affirmed. "Where are we?"

"Underneath the community center," She told him.

"How did you get me here?" He was rather curious, seeing as how the community center was on the other side of town. There was no way she dragged him all the way here.

"My truck. I unceremoniously threw you in the back and drove here, might have knocked your head around a bit. Sorry about that," She said. She had a wicked little smile, and a face that was open and honest.

"Well, thank you Ygritte, for saving my life," He said sincerely. She looked down and he was almost sure there was a small blush playing on her cheeks.

"Don't mention it."

She stood up then and went to poke at the fire. Jon joined her when he surmised that he was steady enough on his feet. He didn't want to keep pestering her, but he needed more questions answered, and he needed to get to his sisters. He wondered if they had made it to the police station. They were probably worried sick, or worse. He was kicking himself internally for not leaving with them when he had the chance. He had no idea if they were safe or not.

"I need to get to the police station," He told her. She snorted.

"Good luck with that, the streets are crawling with those things. You can go there in the morning if you'd like, but I'm not going back to North Side, and I'm certainly not unchaining the doors in the dead of night" She told him.

"I was supposed to meet my sisters there," He explained.

"They're probably dead by now," Ygritte said. Jon took a step back and glared at her.

"Why would you say that?" He asked angrily.

"Because I'm not going to fucking lie to you. North Side went down the hardest, and if there are two girls wandering around out there by themselves, I wouldn't say their chances are great," She said without apology.

"You don't know my sisters. Arya is smart, she would have gotten them to safety," He told her, but there was a part of his mind that believed Ygritte that they were probably dead. He had to know for sure though, he just had to.

"I suppose you could be right," She said trying to humor him.

"If I leave in the morning, where will you go?" He asked her.

"I'll go and try to meet up with my people I suppose," She mused.

"Your people?"

"Yes my people. We got separated in the initial attack, but I'm sure they'll get through the night," She said, but it sounded like she was trying to convince herself.

"Who are your people?" Jon asked cautiously. Ygritte sighed and took off her jacket. She was wearing a dark blue tank top underneath, and her arms were adorned in tattoos. Her right bicep had a rearing stallion on it. Jon knew the symbol was for a biker gang that ran the streets on the East Side. They were notoriously dangerous, violent, and had never once been brought down by the law. The man and woman that ran them were too smart to let that happen. Occasionally one of their younger members would be brought in, but never enough to cripple the gang or slow them down. They had been such a huge problem, but that was when the city had been up and running.

"You're a biker," He said and shook his head.

"You have a problem with that? They gave me everything, a home, family, freedom. What has the law ever done for me?" She asked defiantly.

"We serve and protect," He said, which got a rousing laugh out of her.

"You serve and protect those you think are worthy of it! If one of those watchmen saw me in the street he wouldn't spare a passing glance even if I was being robbed. The children that grew up on the streets of this city would have a different definition of what you people do. You've never tasted the freedom of the open road like I have," She said passionately.

"You don't know a thing about me," He muttered, personally offended that she thought so little of the career he had given his life to.

"You don't know me either, so stop passing judgment," She spat. It was quiet for a while after that. Ygritte left suddenly, returning moments later with a couple of cans. One was fruit cocktail and the other was a can of peas. She held up both, and Jon chose the vegetables. They ate in silence as well, and Jon wanted to scream by the end of it.

"You can sleep here tonight. I only have one bed, but it doesn't really matter I guess. I can use you tonight for warmth," She said and set her can next to the fire bin.

"We're going to sleep in the same bed?" Jon asked in a panic.

"Quit being such a virgin, you'll freeze to death on the floor," She said. When Jon's face went stark white, Ygritte squinted her eyes and examined him. She then burst out with a short laugh. "Oh fuck I was just kidding but you really are aren't you?"

"Are what?" Jon sputtered.

"A virgin! You are look at your fucking face! Oh this is the best night of my life! Can I do it? Take you innocence in the night," She said teasing, making him blush furiously.

"Shut it," He muttered, not looking her in the eye.

"I thought you were a cop, not a priest! Or maybe that's not it, maybe you're in the closet or something," She mused, rejoicing in how red his face was. It was rather adorable to her, and she did to love to tease men.

"I'm not gay!" He said quickly.

"Then what is it pretty boy? Got a tiny pecker?"

"Will you stop it!" He fumed.

"Alright I'm done, and I'm going to sleep. Don't try any funny business you stallion," She said with a wink, and crawled on the mat, covering herself with the small blanket. Jon seriously considered sleeping on the ground, but the fire was already dying down, and he had started shivering.

"I'll be good I promise," Ygritte muttered sleepily. Jon eventually did crawl into bed behind her, but made sure their bodies weren't touching. He would die of embarrassment before the rovers got him, he was sure of that. Soon though, he drifted off to a hellish nightmare land, where he watched his family over and over again being devoured by zombies, his sisters crying out for his help.

* * *

**Chapter one is complete! Next chapter we will see what happens with The Stark girls and the Lannister twins for sleeping without posting up a guard, and what happens come morning with Ygritte and Jon! Also more characters! Will try and update very soon! Don't forget to review and let me know what you think! I love hearing theories! Much love guys! xoxo LadySerenade **


	3. A Matter of Time

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything about the spectacular world of Game of Thrones, I just write fanfiction about it. **

**Author's Note: Well this story isn't taking off like I hoped it would, but I'm still betting on some more people giving it a shot! Some new character's are popping up this chapter, and still better ones to come next! I'm really excited and hope you guys like it! Please please review! **

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**Chapter 2: A Matter of Time  
**

The sound of glass breaking in the wee hours of the morning made Arya sit up in bed. She nearly knocked herself unconscious on the low bunk above her, and was temporarily unsure where she was. Everything from the previous day donned on her very slowly. There was the flight from the house, then being separated from Jon, then the waiting and the eventual appearance of the Lannister Twins. She looked over and saw them in the next bunks. She was the only one who was awake. She slipped her hands under her bed and pulled out her bat before slipping her feet into her boots.

"Wake up," She whispered at Cersei, pushing one of her shoulders. The blonde woman swatted her hand away and rolled over. She decided to try Sansa next, pulling a lock of her sister's bright coppery hair as it was flung out wildly across her bunk.

"Ouch you little shit!" Sansa half mumbled. Arya clapped a hand over her sister's mouth, and waited for her to remember where they were. It was like watching someone's heart break, as the pain appeared in her sister's eyes.

"What are you doing?" She whispered when Arya removed her hand.

"Something's here. Maybe Jon," Arya whispered back, and helped her sister down from her bunk. Sansa slipped her feet into her own boots, and grabbed the pistol that she had taken from the weapons locker. They had both refused weapons at first, but Cersei insisted one of them carried a gun, and since Sansa was older, the duty went to her.

The two girls crept towards the door silently, and slipped out into the hall. The lights had gone off in the night, and the hall was black as pitch, only light spilling from under a door at the other end, probably just the sun shining through the windows. Arya reached around blindly for Sansa's hand and grabbed it, leading them both down the hall. When they came to the door Arya reached for the handle and yelped when she came in contact with skin instead.

"Shh! It's me," A voice whispered from in front of them in the darkness. For a brief moment Arya's heart soared, believing it to be Jon, till Sansa proved otherwise.

"Jaime? Why did you follow us?" She asked.

"Why did you leave all by yourselves? Have you gone mad?" He shot back.

"We heard something," Arya said in their defense.

"Smart, go check for what's going bump in the night during a zombie apocalypse," He said sternly, yet with sarcasm. A delightful feat really.

"It's morning," Was all Arya said. She could hear him sigh, and then turn the handle to the door. For a second they were all blinded by the bright lights through the window, and then they heard Jaime cry out in pain. A rover had been waiting on the other side of the door, and had lunged for Jaime's hand as soon as the man opened the door. Sansa held up her gun but froze as the creature sank it's teeth into the skin of the man's hand. Jaime came to his own defense, bringing his gun up and shooting the creature in the head. It went down with a sickening thud as the door to the bunks flew open behind them.

"What the hell is going on out here?" Cersei demanded, coming into the hall. She locked eyes with Jaime as he pushed the door open further to look at his wound in the light. "No," She said in disbelief, and ran down the hall to him, shoving the Stark girls out of the way.

"What happened?" She cried out, grabbing his arm and dragging him into the light.

"The damn thing was just waiting there," He grunted in pain. Both Arya and Sansa were looking on in horror. Sansa was reminded of watching the rovers tear into Robb, and how she had frozen then too, doing nothing to help.

"How did they get in?" Cersei demanded to know, as if any of them even knew themselves. There were several more crashing sounds from beyond this room, and the high pitched wailing of one of them. Arya looked at the meek little door guarding them from whatever was beyond. They were all motionless, watching it.

"What do we do?" Sansa whispered and was shushed by all three of them. Then something pounded into the door, followed by another, and another. Gurgling and growling could be heard then, and nails against wood.

"Arya is there another way out?" Cersei asked, never letting go of Jaime's injured hand.

"We could try the windows in the bunk," Arya suggested.

"What about his hand?" Sansa asked, and then cried out when the door next to them creaked inwards. Whatever they were going to do, they had to do it fast. The rovers could smell the blood from the wound.

"Jaime we have to take off the hand," Cersei said in a panic.

"What?! No way!" He exclaimed.

"We have to! What if it spreads up your arm? I've lost everyone Jaime, I won't lose you," She said firmly. She went to the wall where there was a fire safety axe enclosed in glass. The rovers started pounding harder on the door.

"Hurry!" Sansa cried out.

"This is madness," Jaime said and pulled a flask from his pocket, downing the contents. Arya ran back to the bunks and decided to work on getting them ready to go. The guns were already in a bag, and the bag from Jon's locker was stuffed full with anything they found in food and medical supplies, which wasn't much, just a simple first aid kit and what they got out of the vending machines.

"What can I do?" She heard Sansa ask. Arya looked up sharply.

"We need to break those windows so when she takes off the hand we can bolt. Do you have everything?" She asked. Another howling groan pierced through the air, and the pounding on the door could be heard even from here. Sansa nodded that she had her things, and jumped up on one of the top bunks to kick out a window for their escape route. She looked down below and saw only a few rovers, and they were spread out and not paying much attention. She motioned for Arya to throw the bags up, and then she dropped them quietly into the snow below.

Jaime's scream bellowed out, and the sisters knew the deed was done. Second later Cersei burst into the room, followed by Jaime who was cradling his now handless arm to his chest. His face was dead white, and there was sweat on his brow, but he was still on his feet and that was what was important.

"They've got through, move!" Cersei cried.

* * *

On the other side of town, just as the sun was coming up, Jon awoke to a tickling feeling at his nose. He raised his arm to scratch it, and realized both his arms were trapped. He opened his eyes slowly, only seeing red. He backed his head up and saw that he had his face buried in someone's hair. He tried to scoot back and remember where he was, when the person in question rolled into him, now facing him front on. It was Ygritte, and he remembered vividly the day before, all at once.

He tried to pull his arm out from underneath her as he removed the one that had been around her waist. He was trying his hardest not to wake her, but as soon as he moved, her eyes opened slowly and dreamily. It took her a few moments too to realize the position they were in. He distinctly remembers falling asleep further away from her.

"Good morning to you too," She said laughing, pointedly looking down between them. Jon flushed and pushed away from her and up on his knees. She stared blatantly at him, and laughed fully.

"Stop that," He said and turned away from her.

"Well at least I know it works, my virgin protector!" She said in a flowery way and got up from the little bed. "Shall I start a fire? Or is the one I started in your loins enough to keep you warm?"

"Would you quit that?" He asked, flushing even deeper.

"Can I see it? I bet you got a massive-"

"I said stop it!" He shouted at her, feeling rather like a child again when Robb would pick on him. Except he never quite had this battle with his brother. He stood up and moved away from her, but realized he really had nowhere to go, or wouldn't know which way to go in the very least.

"Calm down, I'm done," She said laughing, and threw a match into the barrel, lighting a bit of newspaper on fire. Jon sighed and ran a hand down his face.

"I should go. I need to get to the police station and I've already delayed long enough," He told her. For a fraction of a second her face fell, then it was normal again as she shrugged.

"We can head there now if you'd like," She said.

"We?" He asked and quirked a brow.

"Do you really think I'm going to send you out there alone? Haven't you ever seen a zombie flick? The town is in most chaos within the first 72 hours. You'll need someone to watch your back," She explained.

Jon rolled his eyes. "You want me to take survival advice based on a film?"

"What else do you have to go on?" She fired back.

"This is all just insane," He sighed.

"Yeah well this insanity is our new reality," She reminded him. "It seems a stupid idea to go out there alone. I can't in good conscious just let you do that, so I'll go with you to the station."

"I'm not asking you to do that," He said to her.

"I'm aware of that." She replied flatly.

* * *

It had almost been impossible to cross the city and get back into North side. Ygritte had been right, that it seemed to be the hardest area hit. There was evidence of looting everywhere, with shop windows blown out and supplies spread out into the street. There were car pile ups, and fires that had raged on through the night. People were lying where they died, bones picked clean from the rovers who were out in hordes, wandering the streets in groups of mindless hunger. They even stopped briefly before Stark House, which was torn asunder. It pained him to see the place he had spent his childhood reduced to nothing more than ash and corpses.

"Are you alright?" She asked him. They were inside of her truck, but would have to walk from here. The roads were too cluttered to maneuver anymore. They had been driving in people's yards and on the sidewalk enough as it was.

"I'm alright," He confirmed and hopped from the truck, Ygritte not far behind. They had to stay low, and duck behind any possible cover they could. The snow helped to muffle their movements, and they made good enough timing creeping up the three blocks to where Night's Watch Station stood, overrun by the undead. Jon took off running towards the building, till Ygritte had to physically tackle him into the snow.

"Are you mental? They're dead!" She whispered hotly.

"Get your hands off me!" He shouted, making a few of the beasts turn their heads momentarily to look for the noise.

"Stop struggling! That place is overrun, use your head!" She told him. He shoved her away and stood once more, looking at the station. She was right, the _things_ were everywhere. There was no hope that his sisters had gotten out alive. Maybe they had never even made it there. They could be alive, or dead, they could even be undead, and now Jon would never know. He abandoned them, and he was the one that would have to live with that burden for however many days he did live in this madness. He felt a tugging at his arm.

"Jon we have to go," Ygritte told him, pulling him back a bit.

"I can't," He said and remained unmoving.

"I'm sorry about your family, but if you die along with them do you really think that will make it better? Don't you think they would want you to live?" She asked hurriedly, trying to get him to move. They had long since been spotted, and it was high time they got back to the truck.

"None of it matters now," He said, and finally let her pull him back to the truck.

* * *

They had ran as hard as they could, trying desperately to make it out of North side. The changes to the city in even as little time as a single night were drastic. Arya barely recognized the shop fronts and roads that were littered with chaos and death. She didn't have time to linger her gaze anywhere, as their mad dash was the only thing that could be in focus. None of them were sure where they were going, and Jaime was clearly not doing well. They all knew they needed to get off the main streets, so they went to turn into a neighborhood, and were stopped by a large gold gilded fence.

"Shit!" Cersei said and kicked at the fence. She still had her brother draped around her arm. He was looking weak and winded, but not too put out of sorts.

"I can climb it," Arya stated, putting a hand to the gate. It was decorated with golden roses every few inches, and she was sure she was skinny enough to use them as footholds. She passed her bat to her sister and started the climb up the cold fence. Cersei watched the street behind them anxiously, in case a rover noticed them, and Sansa watched her sister anxiously, in case she was to fall. Arya was quick and sure footed though, learning how to climb from Brann a million times over. They had used to make competitions of it when they were younger.

When the girl dropped on the other side she went to the abandoned little post and darted inside to open the gate. The sound of it crunching in the snow made the rovers turn on them, but they were inside quickly enough, with the gate shut behind them once more.

"Do you think this place is safe?" Sansa asked as they cautiously made their way down the street.

"I doubt it's completely safe, but it's a small neighborhood, there won't be many undead here if the residents fell," Jaime answered.

"Do you know it?" Arya asked, keeping her eyes peeled.

"My husband lived here. Maybe about twelve properties total," Cersei answered them.

"You were married?"

"I was. Thankfully the rovers got him," The woman said mercilessly.

"We should make our way to Renly. He could still be alive," Jaime said, looking worse by the minute. Cersei rolled her eyes at this, but did change their course. Sansa and Arya followed behind silently, starting to wonder if going with the Lannister's had been a smart idea after all.

"What will happen now if Jon comes looking for us?" Arya asked in a whisper only meant for her older sister to hear.

"I left a letter in his locker. If he goes there he will know we are safe at least," Sansa confided. Both of them knew Jon would most likely never make it to that police station, and that leaving the letter was just a hopeful dream, but it made them both feel better just the same. Arya reached over and squeezed Sansa's hand tightly, falling into step next to her.

"There it is," Cersei said, pointing to a large Victorian house on the end of the street. There were two statues of rearing stags on either side of the drive, and the house looked virtually untouched.

"Looks abandoned," Sansa put forth.

"That would be even better," Cersei informed her, and led them to the drive and up to the house. They crunched on in the snow, eyes surveying the surrounding trees and yard. There were no footprints in the snow though. The house truly was abandoned, or so they thought till a gunshot rang through the air and something ricochet off the walkway just inches from the group. They all threw up their hands, save Jaime.

"Come no closer," A gravelly voice rang out.

"Drop your weapons," Another voice said from behind them. Cersei cursed under her breath but the group did as they were told. A stranger came out from behind a pillar on the immense porch. He was tall, with dark hair that covered half of his face. He looked like he was perhaps in the army, or was anyhow. The other person came from the trees, a giant of a woman, half of her short cropped hair was shaved. There was some kind of tattoo there, and she was broad across the shoulders. She sneered at them as she approached, also looking like she was once in the army.

"Why's his hand missing?" The woman asked gruffly.

"He didn't need it anymore," Cersei said sharply, earning a curt laugh from the woman.

"You hear that Sandy," She called to the man who was now at the bottom of the stairs. "This guy cut off his own hand because he didn't need it anymore! Couldn't be that he got bit," She said, turning back to Cersei.

"He's fine now," Cersei insisted, standing her ground.

"You should put him down," Said the man, who was now standing in front of the group. "Poor boy's got one foot in the grave."

"It's a mercy," The woman said raising her gun.

"Like hell!" Cersei said, stepping in front of her brother.

"You can't shoot him!" Arya cried out as well.

"He's going to be fine," Cersei said again.

"Do you know it for certain?" The man asked sarcastically.

"Do you know for certain he'll die?" Sansa shot back. He looked at her sharply, and the girl could see for the first time that his hair was hiding a hideous scar. She gasped slightly and then clasped her mouth shut, but he already saw her reaction. He smirked on his good side and looked back at Jaime again.

"This city has only been under a day. You'll learn when it's been weeks that you can't trust anyone. The dead will be all there is soon enough. It's the people you have to watch out for," He told them.

"The sickness has probably been here for longer than you know. It breeds in the underbelly, runs through the homeless. Then one night the chaos erupts and everything you know dies in it," The woman said.

"Where are you from?" Cersei demanded. "Where else has this happened?"

"You lot are lucky to be so far North that your cut off from the rest of us. We heard it was safe here," The woman said.

"Yeah then it goes down overnight," The man retorted.

"Why haven't we heard of the other cities?" Arya asked, stepping forwards.

"They've been keeping the whole ordeal hushed up. The military thought they still had the jump on this thing," The woman answered.

"Things have been lighting up for months," The man confirmed.

"That can't be true," Sansa said sadly. She had heard strange reports on the news, they all had. There had been military occupation of the Southern cities, it was said there was gang violence and riots amongst the people. It couldn't have been this… this plague creeping up North. Sansa almost refused to believe it.

"Sandor, Brienne, who is there?" A voice called from the house. Cersei whipped her head around first, then squinted her eyes.

"Renly," She said in dismay, and then louder, "Renly!"

"Cersei?" The man called, and emerged from the house. He ran down the stairs with a panicked look on his face and approached them all.

"Cersei, how did you get here? Where's Robert?" The man asked, not bothering to mention or look at Jaime who was quietly bleeding out behind her.

"He didn't make it," She said simply. Renly said nothing, only nodded his head gravely. He then acknowledged Jaime for the first time, and looked at his two guards.

"Bring them in the house," He finally said.

* * *

**I know I'm kind of asking you to go out on a limb with me on how the virus spread, but stay tuned? Review please? MWUAH! **


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